This big Chevy truck sure looks happy, even with it’s failing paint and rust issues. The Pepsi can and work gloves in the windshield suggests that this truck was backed into the barn a few decades ago after a hard day’s work and then never driven again. It’s said to have been parked in the barn in 1968 and hasn’t moved since. I’m not a Pepsi historian, but it sure looks like the can design they were using in the late ’60s and early ’70s, which corroborates the seller’s story. You can take a closer look at this truck here on eBay in Trappe, Maryland with a BIN of $4,500 or best offer.
As great as modern trucks are, they just don’t build them like this 4400. It’s a great combination of style, durability, and functionality. Just because it’s a big work truck doesn’t mean it has to be bland to look at. And while the interior lacks almost all of the modern creature comforts we’ve become accustomed to, there’s some appealing about its simplicity. It really is a piece of equipment that you can trust to get the job done day after day.
Much of that durability comes from the inline six engine. It wasn’t designed or meant to be a high-speed highway cruiser, instead, it’s just enough engine to move a heavy load from point A to point B without any drama. There’s no word on the engine’s condition, but there’s a good chance that with a tune-up, fresh fuel, and a new battery it will run. Of course, if you want to use it in modern traffic, you might want to consider upgrading it to something with more power.
The seller suggests rat rodding this truck, which might be a good option if that’s what you’re into. Given how complete it is, it could also be turned into a cool parts hauler. With a 350 V8, it would have plenty of power to keep up with traffic and would be a dependable truck. If the original engine still works though, we would be tempted to just leave it and enjoy cruising around in it more or less as is. How about you?
Looks like that Pepsi can may have exploded in there 50 years ago, but I still like it.
Wow…this is a switch…engine appears to be an older year model than the ’55 truck it is in. Usually the other way around.
Geomechs ,what say you ?
Hi Bob. I was just going to say that same thing. Chevy got rid of that 2-stud valve cover back in ’53. Now I’ve never done it myself, but I’ve seen similar sights to this one, and I was told that an early 235 head will fit on a later 235 engine. That would be my bet in this case as a later 235 could crack a head. I seriously doubt that someone would’ve dropped a babbit-pounder into this but sometimes, when the old engine has got holes in the side that weren’t made at the factory, you have no choice but to get the truck moving again…
The Pepsi can looks to be from the early eighties at the oldest. They had the flat top and bottoms b/4 that.
It looks like the truck has been sitting there for at least that long.
Yep, aluminum can, that. Maybe one of the farm kids was playing driver a couple decades after the truck was parked. I worked in a supermarket in high school, ’80 – ’81. The “off” brands at least were still in glass & flat cans. Pepsi & Coke were still pull tab but I believe some of the store brand stuff may have still been in the cans you needed a church key to open. Cool truck with lots of what was that word again?
Late 1970s Pepsi at the earliest. Late 60s – mid-70s cans were made of steel with aluminum tops.
Seems like more interest in the Pepsi can, then the truck! The seller isn’t suggesting ratting this, he merely suggests you can use this to haul a rat-rod.I say leave it stock.
That’s a very profound observation, and one can see the lack of interest these days with this. Same old thing, very few are going to use this for what it was intended in ’55. It was a farm truck. Top speed might be 45, and rest assured, even that will be a white knuckle experience. Straight front axle, king pins, loose shackle bushings, inadequate ( by todays standards) brakes, all make for a not so fun ride. But that’s not what these were for. One side of the field to the other, or the feed mill 7 miles away, and people are confused that any kind of road travel is possible here. How bad could it be? Try one, and let me know.
I own a 1951 GMC stake-body dually, 6cyl, manual transmission, still has the 6 volt electrical system. Although it wouldn’t be a great choice for highway use in it’s current configuration, it is smile inducing ride from the time you sit on the springy seat, close the solid steel door with an authoritative thunk, and then follow the complicated process of starting the truck with the floor starter. Shifting gears is amusing starting in the granny gear, you get the truck moving and it’s time to shift. Smile factor is very high for minimal investment on these old trucks.
I agree Howard, though this would be a looker the wood bed looks to be good.. refinish revarnish it everything looks to be solid It would seem that it could hit 60, as there were times the ” farm truck” would need to go hiway speeds back then currently… repaint.. maybe use it as a rolling billboard hope somebody does it justice
Howard, where’s your sense of adventure? Brakes? Did you say brakes? Like in the pedal on the floor will actually stop it? You sometimes had to use the E-brake to assist (Maybe that’s why it was called an EMERGENCY brake), especially if you had 250 bushels of wheat in the box. I grew up with these things. 235/4-spd with 2-spd axle. Sometimes you got to drive one with a 261 and a 5-spd with 2-spd!!! Actually a load of grain was nothing. Try a 1000 gallon water tank only half full, or a load of cattle. Incidentally, if you had a smooth, flat road, no wind and lots to time you could make 50; 55 dowhill with a tailwind…
Yeah, not to worry, my friend, adventures I’ve had plenty. At my age, adventures have turned into an ( expensive) hassle, and I just don’t care to do that anymore. Everyday was an adventure in trucking. The brakes were adequate for the time. If you went over 30 mph loaded in these, was just foolhardy.Can’t exceed the limitations of the vehicle, I learned early on. Yes, half full ( or half empty for me) tankers are an adventure, and I never hauled livestock, the one thing I never hauled in my life.
Pepsi can looks to be from 1987: https://cremedemint.com/tag/pepsi/
Truck ain’t fer me —— I am a COKE drinker.
I can imagine leaving that can there myself. This thing would have been irresistible to me when I was a kid, pretending to honk and shift, running over small cars, etc.
Today though, $4500 seems steep for the pleasure of honking and shifting this beast. I’d bet nearly every part that moves needs to be refurbished or replaced, and it won’t be easy or cheap on one this big. For $500 it might still be a half decent farm-only truck, but why would you bother?
But – the P-word is strong with this one. Chances are the cab will eventually end up on a 1/2 ton frame and the rest will go to scrap. That or it will become another Cummins/dually/lowrider creation.
Tires still hold air. Wonder if that is 1968 air? Nice old truck, not a bad asking price and seller will accept offers. Seems a honest buy. Too bad the Pepsi can ain’t worth much. It’s faded more than the truck! As far as a possible retro engine swap to an earlier 50’s model…back in the day nobody paid attention to such things. Just get the ol’ gal running again with whatever motor would closely match the form factor of the 1955 mill, then get back in the fields to haul that crop out. Hopefully the motor swap was done correctly so there are no surprises in the wiring, fuel supply, grounding, etc.
That could be a GM 261 engine, but not with that valve cover.